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Old 12-21-2021, 12:00 PM   #26
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Mundane Talents and Backgrounds

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shostak View Post
Then all Mundane Talents should be one point for the basic level, two for better, and three for master level, to allow for mediocre Calligraphers and Master Farmers.
Where "should be" means you can add more mundane talents if you want more variety and detail, as ITL already says... and if "mediocre" means novice levels of the more complex Mundane talents, then yes.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Shostak View Post
But again, the question is why bother if there isn't some kind of real payoff for the investment? You can put three points into Master Guitarist, but it doesn't actually give you anything nearly as useful as two points in Bard (which, admittedly, requires a modestly higher IQ).
Because no universe provides balanced "real payoff" to adventurers no matter what they choose to do with themselves! "I became a master cheesemaker instead of learning Fireball - why isn't the GM giving me cheese-based adventures?" "Yeah, the GM should look up that issue of Roleplayer that has the entire College of Cheese Magic developed, with Cheese Missile designed to be competitive with Fireball!" (No, really it does, but no, I don't want the GM to do that - would you?)

Three points in Master Guitarist does give you three points of value - in Guitar talent! You will out-guitar people with only one or two points in Guitar talent! If you're roleplaying someone who chose to develop their guitar skill to a masterful level, then that character presumably felt it was worthwhile, for that character's own reasons. If you're also a clever roleplayer who wants some other adventure-related opportunities to get out of that talent, that's up to your creativity as a player, just as it is to find someplace to use your weapon talents to advantage. Maybe that's why there are more adventurers with weapon talents than there are master guitarists. On the other hand, there are also some clever players, who may figure out that they might be able to do things like create a compelling distraction with a masterful guitar performance, and/or impress various NPCs, and/or get into close range of important people by being entertainment fit for a king, etc.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Shostak View Post
I wouldn't want the GM to go so far out of the way as to suspend the logic of the game, either. But, if I spent three precious points on Artist, I'd be more than a little disappointed if the GM made minimal attempt to have it be relevant in the adventures, just as I would if I spent points on Remove Traps and never found opportunity to utilize the talent.
Yes, a clever GM will also think of such possibilities, though I personally would hope the GM would stick to logical ways and amounts of that. Although, if you're really a master guitarist, you may be able to develop a reputation as such by performing in appropriate places, and that would naturally tend to lead to more opportunities. And Master Guitarist may also include some amount of knowledge of how to look for guitar opportunities. Although, not all those opportunities might be adventure related, or desired.
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